A bridge, the remains of a city, emerging from Lake Youghiogheny when the water recedes

ADDISON, Pa. (KDKA) — Have you ever wondered what’s at the bottom of a lake?

At the bottom of the Yugiogeni River is the answer to the old bridge and the remains of the old city.

It may seem like a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see structures from our region’s past emerge from the water, but according to Vince Klinkner, resource manager for the Pittsburgh District of the U.S. Ameri Corps of Engineers, the organization that oversees the Lake Eugène River, this old bridge and part of this old city could be seen before.

“I looked at our records today and I saw at least seven or eight different news articles from the 1970s to today,” Klinkner said.

It is rare to see the remains of the town of Summerfield and the bridge that once crossed it. It is normally below 50 feet, but due to the drought, the water level in Yugh Lake has dropped so low that historic structures are now visible.

What is the story behind the structures?

“The name of the bridge is Great Crossings Bridge,” said Jacob Miller, curator of the Somerset County Historical Society. “The name now comes from George Washington’s reference to the area during certain marches along the Braddock Road, and before that it was known as the Great Crossings of the Youghiogheny River.”

Somerfield was officially settled in 1818 as “Smithfield,” named after the town’s founder, Philip D. Smith. It was also the year that the Great Crossings Bridge was completed as part of the National Highway connecting the Potomac and Ohio Rivers, becoming the first highway built entirely with federal funds. When the bridge was completed, it was christened by President James Monroe and his entire cabinet.

The town was officially renamed Somerfield in the 1830s in honor of Reverend Somerfield and remained so for over 100 years.

In the 1930s, to help mitigate and control flooding in the region, the decision was made to build a dam nearby, raise the town and flood a small valley.

Summerfield and Great Crossings Bridge seemed to be floating into history.

On days like these, that history comes back to the surface for hundreds of visitors like Gerald O’Brien, who drove from Uniontown just to see the spectacle.

“It’s very unique,” O’Brien said. The structure of it, and I have not traveled much, I have been all over the world, but to see such things, from our country. You expect to see this in Europe and that, but to see it in our own country, to see the structure, it’s incredible.”

You can see this amazing site for yourself, but come sooner rather than later. When the water rises, this place will be closed again.

Parking can be found at Lakeside Marine at 110 Cornish Circle, Addison, Pa. 15411.